Vapor electric apparatus.



F.G.-KEYES. VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 24. 1913.

1,285,699. Patented Aug. 7,1917;

YWMC p74 UNITED STATES P af .Ei\r r oEE oE.

FREDERICK G. KEYES, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JE SEY, ASSIGNOR T0 COOPER HEWIT'r ELECTRIC COMPANY, OE HOBOKEN,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW J EESEY.

VAPOR LECTRIC AI'PARA'rUsQ Patented Aug. '7, 1917.

Application filed November 24, 1913. Serial Noam 2,753.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FREDERICK G. KEYEs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Orange, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric ;\.P-. paratus, of which the following is a specification.

The present commercial quartz lamp is usually supplied with two liquid electrodes and the lamp is'operated in a manner suited to the presence ofa liquid anode and a liquid cathode' It has been proposed to substitute for the liquid anode an anode of tungsten or some other material capable of resisting the high temperatures to which the elements of the lamp are liable to be subjected.

It is well known that quartz lamps, when first lighted, permit a large current to flow. It is also known-that lamps of this type operate at a high pressure. If the initial current mentioned above is confined to the anode without the presence of any conducting substance of suitable capacity connected therewith, a heavy spattering will be caused and the rise of pressure will be retarded. I overcome these difliculties by using a tungsten anode and causing the shank of the said anode to pass through a mass or puddle of mercury or other liquid conducting material from which the shank or stem of the anode emerges so as to cause the anode proper to be exposed within the lamp to the immediate effects of the operation thereof, being prevented, however, by a throttle or barrier usually in the form of a ring from proyecting into the luminous tube-any spattering which may be caused.

Incidentally I' have contributed to the surmounting of one of the chief Obstacles to the utilization of tungsten anodes, by winding fine tungsten wire into a fiat spiral which forms the exposed part of the anode. In this way the difiiculty now existing of obtaining suitable tungsten foil is obviated. Besides, it is found that this form of anode results in cheapness of construction, and a comparatively even distribution of temperature, While making it unnecessary to rivet the stem or shank to the anode proper.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation-of the lamp constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan and v l ig. 5 is a detail view ot the tungsten anode.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1

represents the luminous tube of a lamp made of quartz or highly refractory glass. The cathode, surmounted by a condensing chamher, 3, is shown at 2, while the anode ap-' pears at l in the form of aspiral, as shown in detail in Fig The shank or stem 5 of the spiral is, of course. in one piece with the spiral, so that no riveting is required.

In passing out of the lanip'at a seal, 9, the

shank traverses a chamber, (3, surmounted by a condensing chamber, 7, the chamber, 6 being substantially filled with mercury or other good conducting liquid. Between "the anode, at, and the main body of the luininous tube, 1, I construct a ring, 8, either closely fitting within the tube, 1, 0r integral therewith. The ObJQClZ of this ring is to constitute a throttle or barrier for preventing any spattering of the anode which may occur froin'boing carried into the luminous portion of the tube. In the present state of the art it does not seem necessary to illustrate the action of the auxiliary apparatus which is usually employed for tilting mercury vapor lamps. whether of quartz or of'glass in order to start the operation. It may be said, however, ating position of the lamp, the cathode end is considerably below the normal operating plane. When, however, thecircuit is completcd, the auxiliary mechanism lifts the cathode end and causes the mercury to flow into the anode chamber. 6, incidentally causing a rupture of the circuit which inaugurates the current flow through the tube.

The tungstenanode, 4, is quickly raised 'to a white heat, and a considerable portion of this heat is transferred to the mercury immediately surrounding the shank, 5,

that in the non-opo1'-' proximate negative seal.

()therwise expressed, "thetota-l energy passing through the lamp -being carried by the anode, 4, the anodereaches a :very high temperature which is conducted-down the stem to the mercury. This :energyisexpended in evaporating the mercury'which brings about a rise-:in pressure.untilequilibrium is finally established. In making this statement it is assumed sthat the chambers, 3. and 6, are providedwith' suitable radiating surfaces for maintaining them at the proper level. a

In speaking of the normal operating p0 sition of the tube, the cathode end is assumed tobe aboutfive degrees higher than the anode end reckoned fromktheghorizontal plane. Y

The depression showninlfulllines at 11 in Fig. 1 and in dotted linesvin Fig; Zuisa trough in which aportion of: thevliquid cathode lies exposed 'atithe. mouth of theluminous tube 1.

In employing the term metal in the attachedclaim, reference ishad not-necessarily to the pure metal, as an alloy may be employed if found suitable. Similarly; the term quartz lamps .or the like isintended y the same "temperature as the to include lamps constructed of a highly heat resisting glass.

Summing upv :once more the various tunetions of the apparatus:herein described, it

of." it. istmmake it"easierto-obtain a high pressure=-within the lamp. dhis high pressure-is brought about-bytheheat that is developed on vtheuan'ode zrbei ng -:trans1nitted along-the 'stema and:communicated to the inercuryrcausi ng a :volatili-zation of the mercury. 'Ihus a'tli-lrddiunction-of the apparatusis'to'xprovide ea-ns whereby the heat of the f tungsten I anode '-.;passes-; down. into and l is absorbed :bythe mercury. The heat, being spent in evaporating; mercury, prevents ex- -cessivespatteri;ngbecause it cannot maintain such ahigh-temperature.

-' I (312111112518 my mventron: In a qua'rltz :-l amp,--awluminous tube, a

liquid cathode exposedatuone endof said tube, a solid anode at 'the :opposite 0l1ClCO1lslstrngwof a -flat spiralbf tungsten, in combination with a barrier between 1 the spiral and: the main body of the luminous tube, such barrier cons] stingof illllhtfil'hitl ring wlthin the end 'ofthe said :tube.

-Signed-at-NewYork in the county of New York a-ndState of-New York'this 21st day of November. 1A.: '1). 1913.

J" F tEDER-I'GK G. *KEYES. Witnesses;

Tuosjv H. .-.BR0'WN,

-HARoLn BJ WOODW'ARD.

3993 1 of this patentmaybe obtained :for -live-' -eeats eachfiiy laddressing his 'lectahiabai tr aaitfavasmngton nac." I 

